Malvern House Irelandhttp://malvernhouse.ie
English language school in DublinSun, 01 Mar 2015 21:36:53 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=4.0.17 ways to speed up your language learninghttp://malvernhouse.ie/7-ways-speed-language-learning/
http://malvernhouse.ie/7-ways-speed-language-learning/#commentsFri, 20 Feb 2015 14:50:17 +0000http://malvernhouse.ie/?p=798When you first sign-up for a language course, it’s easy to assume that the hard bit’s over. Now you’ve committed to the class, you take it for granted that by the end of it, you’ll be fluent. But unfortunately, that’s not the way language learning works. You’ll need to do all you can outside of [...]

]]>When you first sign-up for a language course, it’s easy to assume that the hard bit’s over. Now you’ve committed to the class, you take it for granted that by the end of it, you’ll be fluent. But unfortunately, that’s not the way language learning works. You’ll need to do all you can outside of class to cement your knowledge and widen your vocabulary for your best possible chance at improving your understanding and getting the most out of your English course. Here are a few quick tips for learning faster…

A great way to fully immerse yourself in a language is to get into the habit of switching on the TV or radio. Even if it’s just background noise, you’ll be subconsciously listening and testing yourself. This is also a great way to improve your vocabulary by picking up local phrases you’re not likely to hear in the classroom.

Who says learning can’t be fun? There are some really fantastic apps and online resources out there to get you learning through games and interactive tests. The best of these is hugely popular Duo Lingo, which takes you through gradual steps and helps to cement vocabulary with daily goals and repetitive games. This is a great way to supplement your learning and really help you remember lists of words and definitions.

3. Audio Aids

It’s easy to spend more than two hours a day in London getting from A to B. Make sure you make the most of this wasted time by fitting in some audio language learning. There are some brilliant audio books out there, which will help you learn a lot faster. You can even borrow these kinds of CDs from most public libraries at very little cost.

A popular route for language learning is to find a partner to practise with – their English in exchange for your native language skill. It’s a win-win situation: you both improve your language skills immensely and usually make a good friend in the process. Alternatively, there are plenty of free events organised which work on this ‘Language Exchange’ idea with larger groups of people.

If possible try living with people originally from the UK, or at least include some in your social scene. You’ll get a depth of language impossible to find among language students, and you’ll pick up loads of new vocabulary very quickly.

6. Daily Dedication

Learning a language takes daily practise and rigorous dedication. Try to spend at least an hour a day outside of class focusing on your studies.

Make sure you use English as much as you can in your daily life. Phone up to book tickets rather than ordering online. Haggle at a market over your grocery shopping. Embrace these situations and use them for practice.

Work doesn’t stop after you leave the classroom. Develop habits to help you get the most out of your language course and use your free time to your advantage.